With autumn block farmers gearing up for the start of mating, the main focus is around getting cows back in calf and, more importantly, back in calf at the front end of the block. Are you doing it the most cost-effective way? Is there a way you can keep your block tight while reducing costs?
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Many of us will have commenced our last grazing rotation around the farm. The final rotation is your last chance to set your farm up for a successful early turnout next year.
As farmers start thinking of autumn reseeds, pasture to profit consultant Sean Chubb runs through some options to help mitigate the risk of a feed shortage during summer
With levels of rainfall extremely variable across the north over the last month there has been a definite east – west divide in terms of grazing conditions, grass growth and farm cover. Regardless of how your grass situation is tracking the goals for achieving autumn grazing and protecting grass for next spring are the same.
Castiles Farm partners with LIC to help achieve their goal of building a more sustainable, resilient and profitable business.
Rainfall across the north has brought some relief to farmers, although without more in some areas this is just enough to keep things growing for a few weeks. Soil conditions are still firm making achieving consistent even residuals easier as the rotations build.
Crossbreeding of traditional breeds isn’t new to UK dairy producers. Decades of genetic selection and crossbreeding using different strains or breeds has seen gains in milk yield, protein and fat production as well as in cow conformation and management traits.
Artificial insemination (AI) is a tool that farmers have been using to drive their businesses forwards for decades. It delivers the very best of dairy bull genetics to farmers around the world at an unprecedented scale, reducing the spread of disease between and within herds and brings health and safety benefits as fewer stock bulls are required on farm.
Ongoing social distancing and the spring weather have made the past month very unusual. I believe it has been the longest period of sustained sunshine I’ve experienced since arriving from New Zealand 10 years ago. While fine weather is welcome it has farmers nervous about the season to come.
As the UK works towards reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050, the agricultural industry has been put under the microscope. In a report from GOV.UK, agriculture was found as the source of 10% of total GHG emissions in the UK and of these, emissions 90% is nitrogen and methane from livestock and pastures.
Life has changed dramatically for me since last month, although feedback from my clients suggests that life on farm is relatively normal – apart from the kids being at home! The weather has also dramatically shifted through April. Ground conditions are now ideal for grazing and in some cases farmers are hoping for a spot of rain to keep things fresh and growing.
